37 Facts About Sali Berisha

Sali Berisha has previously held the position of chairman from 1990 to 1992 and 1997 to 2013.

Sali Berisha has been barred from entering the United States and the United Kingdom, being accused of "involvement in significant corruption" and links to organised crime groups and criminals that pose a "risk to public safety in Albania".

On 9 September 2021, Sali Berisha was expelled by party chairman Lulzim Basha from the Democratic Party's Parliamentary Group due to legal issues with the US Department of State.

On 30 December 2023, Sali Berisha was placed under house arrest due to alleged corruption during his term as Prime Minister.

Sali Berisha was released following a court order on 27 November 2024.

Sali Berisha was born in Vicidol, then Tropoje District, in northern Albania, to a Muslim family of mountain farmers.

Sali Berisha conducted a research program on hemodynamics that attracted considerable attention among his colleagues in Europe.

At an August 1990 meeting of the nation's intellectuals convened by President Ramiz Alia, Sali Berisha urged the Albanian Party of Labor to abolish the third article of the communist constitution which sanctioned that the Party of Labor had the hegemony of the Power, to recognize the Human Rights Charter, the drafting of a new democratic constitution, and to remove all monuments of Stalin in the country.

Sali Berisha emerged as the chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania, the first and largest of the new opposition parties.

Sali Berisha was formally elected DP chairman in February 1991 at the party's first national congress.

Sali Berisha was elected member of Albania parliament in 1991,1992,1997,2001 from the constituency of Kavaje.

Sali Berisha was the country's second freely elected head of state, and the first non-Communist head of state in 53 years.

Sali Berisha introduced Islam to the Albanian political scene, pursued re-Islamisation of the country to reverse decades of anti-religious policy under Communism.

On 23 July 1997, a month after the DP lost the 1997 elections to the left coalition, Sali Berisha stepped down as president and was replaced by the socialist Rexhep Meidani.

Sali Berisha eventually returned to power as prime minister between 2005 and 2013.

Sali Berisha blamed the Socialist Party of Albania and its leaders for the murder.

On 3 July 2005, Sali Berisha led a coalition of five right center parties into the 2005 parliamentary elections, which eventually won a majority of 74 MPs from a total of 140.

Sali Berisha was appointed Prime Minister of Albania on 8 September 2005.

On 10 June 2007, Berisha met with US President George W Bush in Tirana.

On 15 March 2008, Sali Berisha faced the toughest challenge of his government when an ammunition dump exploded in the village of Gerdec near Tirana, killing 26 people and injuring over 100.

Sali Berisha's alliance came up one seat short of a majority and had to join forces with a splinter socialist party, the Socialist Movement for Integration of Ilir Meta, in order to retain power.

Sali Berisha appointed Meta to the post of deputy prime minister and at the same time Minister for Foreign Affairs, and later Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy.

Sali Berisha refused, on the ground that the Albanian Constitution does not call for such a procedure.

Sali Berisha however called the opposition to the Parliament to change the Constitution, but the Socialist Party refused.

Sali Berisha accused the then-President of having been part of the coup after relations had soured between the two, and embraced his perceived victim status to install his own 'yes man' in the office.

Sali Berisha refused to do so, following his win the party's leadership election, where he was backed by Berisha.

Sali Berisha stated that the future of Albania and the Albanians was at risk and the people should decide in their own hands.

On 6 December 2022 during protests Sali Berisha was assaulted in the face resulting in him being given a black eye.

Sali Berisha is married to Liri Sali Berisha, a pediatrician.

Sali Berisha's foundation focuses on children with autism and Down syndrome.

Sali Berisha himself was accused of aiding and abetting the alleged crime, and had his passport confiscated by the prosecutors, until the trial's end.

Sali Berisha has strongly denied the allegations, and has publicly accused the prosecutors of a political attack, claiming that they were acting on the orders of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The next day, Sali Berisha revealed that he was subject to this action.

Since coming to power in March 1992, the Democratic Party, led by President Sali Berisha, has used a variety of means to promote itself and stifle the opposition.

In October 2023, Sali Berisha was placed under investigation on suspicion of abusing his position as prime minister to help his son-in-law, Jamarber Malltezi, privatize public land in order to build 17 apartment buildings in Tirana.

In December 2023, Sali Berisha was stripped of his parliamentary immunity and placed under house arrest.

Sali Berisha was formally charged with corruption on 11 September 2024.